City of North St. Paul: Parks & Trails

North St. Paul, Minnesota is home to an extensive parks and trail system. The city lies on just over 3 square miles of land, but maintains 8 different parks. Each of these parks offers unique amenities for residents of the city to enjoy throughout the year. Recently, the city of North St. Paul has been committed to expanding and revitalizing the different parks in the small community. Some of the most notable parks include:

Silver Lake Park: The two largest bodies of water within the City of North St. Paul are Casey Lake and Silver Lake. Silver Lake Park is located on the south bank of the lake and is one of the most popular destination for outdoor recreational activities. The park offers a host of different amenities to experience, but the largest feature is the lake itself. During the warm months of the summer, the lake is a desired destination to swim and relax in the sun on the beach. Residents also enjoy boating, kayaking, fishing, and canoeing on the beautiful lake. Recreational activities such as volleyball and tennis are also available. Other amenities located in the park include a pavilion, playground, trails, pier, restrooms, picnic tables, benches, and grills.

Tower Park: Named after the city water tower which stands in the park is Tower Park. Tower Park contains walking and biking trails that run through the heart of the park. Its most used amenities, however, are its basketball court and pavilion that are available to all residents of the small city. The park is also a perfect destination for picnicking, with several grills, benches, and a playground situated throughout the park grounds.

Casey Lake Park: Casey Lake, another large body of water located in North St. Paul, is a popular destination to experience the outdoors throughout the year. Residents of the city enjoy boating, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing on the calm lake. On the east side of the lake is Casey Lake Park, which has a variety of amenities for residents to enjoy. In the summer, Casey Lake Beach is a sought after spot to soak in the sun and cool off in the lake. The park also offers the most recreational activities in the city, with hockey rinks to skate on in the winter, three baseball diamonds, and two volleyball courts. Two pavilions are also located within the gorgeous park, one of them boasting a fully operational kitchen. Other amenities include restrooms, picnic tables, grills, benches, and a walking trail that winds itself around the park boundaries.

Southwood Nature Preserve:North St. Paul’s largest park is the Southwood Nature Preserve, which is spread over 28 acres of land. Located in the southeast corner of the city, the preserve offers a secluded and relaxing nature walk that takes visitors through a host of ecosystems including shoreline, wet meadow, golden prairie, savanna, upland prairie, basswood forest, and oak forest. For those looking for a quick stroll through the reserve, a half-mile walk winds its way around the small pond. Additional paths and trails branch off from the main trail that provide a longer experience to explore the various ecosystems.

Gateway State Trail: This state trail is the ideal way to enjoy the outdoors during all four seasons of the year. Gateway Trail is a multiple use trail that runs from St. Paul through North St. Paul to Pine Point Park. Those using the trail experience both the urban scenes of the Saint Paul and the rural areas further north. Over 18-miles of trail are available to bikers, cross-country skiers, and even horse riders.